


Testing HTML and CSS

by gingeringfigs



Category: Testing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 16:56:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20492153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingeringfigs/pseuds/gingeringfigs





	Testing HTML and CSS

Back at Devil May Cry, Nero filled in the others on the long series of events that happened within the span of one very long day. The longest and craziest day of his life.

Finally coming to the end of his story, he gestured to the jian on the desk, “...And that’s Dante and Vergil fused together right now. I’ve got no idea how to fix them.”

Beside him, Nico snorted, “Easy peasy. You still got the Qliphoth on ya, right? Feed it to them! You’ve told us that they need blood to heal. And Trish already explained that this spooky fruit contains, what, thousands of humans’ blood? And it allowed Mungus-chungus become King of Hell by granting him godlike power. Macabre but it would definitely work. Safer too. No offense but I don’t think you have enough power to release them from their state.”

On the other side of the desk, Trish nodded in agreement, “Nico’s correct. I’m not sure if it would work...but it does make sense. Do what she says.”

“Lady, your thoughts…?” Nero asked as he turned his attention to Lady beside Trish. Lady put her hands akimbo on her hips as she shrugged, “You gotta get rid of the fruit sooner or later. Otherwise, demons will come knocking, wanting to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. Might as well use it on the sword like Nico says.”

“...Okay.” Nero took out the fruit from his pocket. It pulsed like a heart in his hands. He really hoped that this was gonna work because otherwise, he was all out of options. Holding the fruit up, he crushed it, squeezing out viscous red liquid that dripped down onto the sword. Once the fruit was completely drained, Nero wiped his hands down the surface, letting the sword absorb all traces of the liquid. 

When nothing happened, panic swelled inside him. Shit shit shit, had they messed up?! But luckily, before Nero really started to _panic_, the sword started to glow white as the liquid was absorbed. 

_Oh fucking whew. It was working!_

Sagging in relief, Nero stood back like the others did. A safe distance away, they waited for Dante and Vergil to separate.

* * *

Red or Blue?

Dante woke up warm and cosy in bed. Cool crystalline light filtered into the room through the blinds and there was a faint smell of rain in the air. Sitting up with a yawn, he shivered a little from the slight chill. Swinging his feet off the bed, he recoiled with a loud yelp when he felt the icy hell his floorboards had become. 

Fuck it, he was gonna stay in his cosy and warm bed. Rainy days were made for staying in. But Vergil had heard him. His brother called out, “What happened?”

Before he could reply, he heard Vergil’s familiar footsteps swiftly approach his bedroom. Without knocking, Vergil opened the door with a frown on his face. Dante sheepishly shrugged, “Nothing. Just wasn’t expecting the floor to be so cold.”

Ever since they defeated Mundus and their subsequent successful separation thanks to the Qliphoth fruit, Vergil now lived with Dante in Devil May Cry. Dante was still adjusting, too used to living alone, well, not alone exactly but Vergil had been an inanimate Devil Arm all this while. It was...weird to have someone living with him now. Especially his...brother whom he had looked after as a...sword. He still hadn’t asked Vergil about what it’d been like for him and if he still remembered his inane rambling. He was too embarrassed.

Vergil stared at him with narrowed eyes. Then he snorted in amusement, “False alarm then.”

“Yeah. So huh, you got something on today?” He questioned, shifting under his blankets. Vergil was fully dressed up, including the coat, boots and spats. In contrast, Dante had only a pair of boxers on. Maybe he should get dressed too. 

Vergil rolled his eyes at him, “_Sleepyhead_, it’s already past noon. I was up manning the desk all morning while you slept.”

“...Oh.” Dante didn’t keep a clock in his room so he couldn’t tell time. But he took Vergil’s word for it; his brother was very particular about time and had always been a light sleeper compared to him. Then, his eyes widened, “Hey, why didn’t you wake me up then?!”

“I tried. Three times. But you were too deep asleep. You also seemed like you were having a good dream,” Vergil patiently replied. He inclined his head at the bed, “So after the failed third attempt, I decided to let you sleep till you finally woke up.”

Recalling the dream, Dante deliberately kept his reaction off his face. Oh _shit_, he hoped that he hadn’t been sleeptalking while he slept. He wasn’t yet ready to deal with Vergil’s reaction once he knew what his dream had been about. Instead, he rubbed his head, “Hell, you should still have woken me up anyway! You shouldn’t have to do my job!” 

Bracing himself for the icy floor, he hopped off and with muttered cursing, he quickly tiptoed over to his wardrobe to fetch his clothes. 

“Maybe you should consider getting some carpets.” Vergil dryly commented as he leaned against the doorway. Dante bent over to yank on a pair of jeans and then shrugged on a henley over his head. Tugging the shirt down, he shook his head, “Nah. I don’t spend a lot of time here contrary to what you might think. Besides, laundry bills would be killer with carpets.”

“Fair. Then, bedroom slippers?” Vergil suggested. Dante grabbed his coat and laughed, “Fluffy bedroom slippers? Maybe! But they totally don’t go with my badass image.”

“...You’ve never cared about whether or not it makes you look _ridiculous_. That coat you wore as a teen was horrific.”

“Terrific, you mean!” Dante pulled on the coat and jabbed at him, “Besides, that _cravat? _Never letting you live it down!”

Brief silence. Vergil finally conceded with a rueful smile, “Touchè.” 

Dante fist-pumped with a grin. 

* * *

Dante surreptitiously observed Vergil from behind the magazine he held up in front of his face. Vergil was currently cleaning Yamato, removing any traces of dried bloodstains or mud that might still have lingered after their recent mission earlier this afternoon. Focused in his task, he was methodical as he carefully wiped the blade down with a fine-grain sandpaper sheet, scrubbing off a miniscule bloodstain. 

“I know you’re staring. What is it?” Vergil asked as he switched the sandpaper out for a soft cloth. He carefully ran the soft material down the blade, picking up the last traces of dirt as he waited for Dante’s reply.

Dante swallowed. Putting down the magazine, he awkwardly rambled, “Nothing really. Just thinking that it’s been a while since Mundus bit the dust and it’s starting to get real quiet now that most of the demons that invaded are getting killed off… Not much work left for us, you know...?”

His eyes rested on the empty space where Sparda sword used to be. Rebellion, miraculously fixed, rested against his desk. Gaining new steam, Dante continued, “You know, Mom’s amulets were used to turn Force Edge into Sparda sword. That sword and the amulets are now part of us. Ironic.”

As usual, Dante chickened out of broaching the real topic he wanted to talk about. Did Vergil still remember what it had been like when they were merged together? The time when they’d been intertwined in body, mind and soul and how _right_ it felt. A wave of yearning came over him and he quickly clamped down on it before it showed on his face.

Vergil paused in his cleaning. Shit, had his thoughts shown on his face?! Dante’s mind was a chaotic mess of half-thought excuses. He picked up the magazine again and studiously flipped through it, hoping that Vergil wouldn’t push.

“...You already shared that knowledge with me.” Vergil finally said as he sped up with the last step of maintaining Yamato, giving it an oiled rub down before resheathing it. It was almost hasty, unlike Vergil’s earlier methodical manner.

Putting Yamato down on the coffee table, Vergil gave Dante an enigmatic look, his jaw tight. It looked like he had a lot of things on his mind but wasn’t ready to speak of them yet. Dante was too chicken to ask what he was thinking. Not for the first time, he wished that they were still bound together as one. It had been so much easier, their thoughts and memories seamlessly shared. So many things he had not known and now regretted. If he’d been more understanding and patient with Vergil on the tower, would things have changed…? Well, the time for such regrets had already passed. Now separate and alone as Dante, he was incomplete. 

He wondered. Did Vergil also feel it? The nagging sense of being incomplete was ever present during his waking moments save for when he was asleep.

Vergil looked away and changed the topic, “You ought to stop being so charitable. You’re running a business and you need that cash to maintain a respectable standard of living. Such as having a water supply, heating and electricity. Not to mention your pizza habit.”

“...Hey!” Dante weakly protested. “The others need the money more than me.”

Raising a sardonic brow, Vergil scoffed, “You’re undervaluing yourself and the work you do. To be frank...they’re only leeching off your generosity. You do realise that they could afford it?”

Dante shrugged, “Like I said...they need the cash more than we do.” 

Irritated, Vergil narrowed his eyes and growled, “Always like this with you. You’re far too selfless for your own good. I still remember...how you almost bankrupted yourself with that sword stand for me when I was stuck as a Devil Arm. You should look after yourself more.”

Dante flushed. Oh hell, Vergil had been _aware_? All this time?! This was the first time his brother spoke of his experience as a Devil Arm. Seeing his obvious blush, Vergil gentled his tone, “I appreciated it. But you didn’t have to do that for me. I do not need such luxurious accessories when it’s at your expense.”

A faint smile played on Vergil’s lips. It made Dante want to do _something_. But what…? His mind was drawing a blank. He raised the magazine higher to hide his face as he mumbled, “Okay. Gotcha.”

“So, will you start charging _proper_ fees?” Vergil demanded firmly. God, it was _easier_ when his brother was just a sword and didn’t nag him constantly, he uncharitably thought. Actually, no, he’d rather have his nagging than face the lonely silence once more.

“...Yeah, I’ll start charging properly. Satisfied now?” Dante relented, bending to his brother’s demand. Vergil was just looking out for him...and yeah, maybe he should have been more mercantile in his business. Then he wouldn’t have been in deep shit during those last few months before Mundus’ invasion.

Vergil nodded approvingly, “Good. I won’t tell you how to run the rest of your business but I absolutely insist on you getting paid what you deserve for all the hard work you’ve done. It’s only fair.”

“...And what about you? What are you going to do? You can’t possibly help me run Devil May Cry right? You’ve got your...own thing…” Dante asked, lowering the magazine. Vergil had always had his own agenda and preferred to go solo apart from him.

Vergil stilled and gave him another cryptic look. Fuck, had he pressed too hard? His brother eventually replied, “I haven’t decided yet. I will let you know when I’ve decided.”

“Okay…?” Dante trailed off, wondering what Vergil had in mind. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to be inclined to planning anything nefarious like raising another portal to hell.

Then the phone rang. 

* * *

Fuck, it turned out that with Mundus’ ignominious passing, the demon lords of Hell were now trying to make a bid to invade the human world to prove their claim to be the next King of Hell. The fact that the barrier between both worlds had been severely weakened by the Qliphoth which parasitic roots had pierced deep in both worlds, only made it worse.

From dusk to dawn, both Vergil and Dante, together with Nero, Lady and Trish, fought waves of demon rabble and killed many demon lords. Who knew there were so many? They must have killed at least twenty demon lords by now. According to Vergil, resident expert on Hell, that wasn’t even half of the total number of demon lords with seventy-two in total. And of course with how bloody demon politics seemed to be, the dead demon lords were quickly replaced by their successors.

Eventually, when the sun rose, the demons stopped trying to invade when the demon lords finally called a retreat, wary of the devil hunters that had killed so many of their brethren. Exhausted, Dante slumped over the couch back in the shop. Likewise, Vergil was slouched at the desk, propping up his forehead with folded hands. 

“This is only temporary. They will come back again for another attempt to conquer the human world in a bid to become new King of Hell,” Trish said as she sat on the coffee table, her blonde hair ruffled with flyaway strands. Lady leaned against her, stifling a yawn. 

Laid flat out on the floor on his back, Nero raised his head and groaned, “Another _attack_? When? I’m not sure if we could handle another one.”

“Could be days or weeks, depending on how quickly those demon lords recover their numbers. We managed to wipe out a good chunk of their army but demons tend to spawn quickly.” Trish replied as she smoothed her hair down. Nero covered his eyes with his forearm and groaned. Dante sympathised. Even if he had more demon blood than Nero, he wasn’t as young as he used to be. The thought of another intense all-day battle in the future had him wanting to bury himself deep in blankets and never come out.

He finally spoke, “So how do we make sure that they don’t come back? The barrier needs to be fixed.”

Trish shook her head, “Indeed, the barrier needs to be repaired but I’m not sure how...Lady, any ideas?”

“Naw, my books only deal with demonology. Nothing about barriers. But say, wouldn’t _he _know something? Since he once broke the barrier before.” Lady pointedly said as she looked at Vergil sitting at the desk. Vergil slowly raised his head. 

“Perhaps. But it only pertains to that one particular barrier that was linked to Sparda’s Force Edge.” Vergil replied civilly as he straightened up in the chair. Despite his composed demeanour, Dante could sense the tell-tale signs of exhaustion in the rough edge of Vergil’s voice and the tension in his shoulders from trying to stay upright. He felt even more tired just observing him.

“Trish. The reason why these demon lords are attacking…is because they’re vying for the throne. Correct?” Vergil asked rhetorically. Trish nodded once. His brother continued, “Then how does one become King of Hell? How did Mundus become King of Hell? You were his servant once.”

“_Bastard…_!” Lady hissed, ready to shoot Vergil. Trish chuckled and nudged Lady to calm her down. She replied levelly, “Might makes right. Mundus ate the Qliphoth fruit to gain unparalleled power to become King of Hell. But since the Qliphoth fruit only grows once every few thousand years, the demon lords have no other choice but to fight it out the old fashioned way.”

Nero uncovered his eyes, “Wait, that ugly _fruit_…? The one I used on Dante and Vergil to split them apart is that _powerful_?”

“Yes. Imagine, if you had eaten it, you would have become King of Hell!” Trish teased Nero, making him blanche at the thought. Lady giggled. But Dante didn’t laugh, a nameless dread forming in the pit of his stomach as he stared at Vergil’s calm face. 

Dante pushed himself up off the couch. Vergil glanced at him before he turned back to the others. He said, “Then it means that either Dante or I have to go to Hell, close the barrier and take the throne to prevent further attacks…”

_No. Vergil surely wasn’t…_

Vergil inclined his head. His smile was rueful as he continued, “As I was formerly Mundus’ general, have eaten the Qliphoth, and more knowledgeable on Hell, I am a better candidate. Dante...has a life here and I do not want to disrupt that.”

Dante erupted. Quickly moving out of the way, Lady, Trish and Nero fled the shop, instinct telling them not to stay too close to two demon princes of Hell. 

* * *

Vergil had teleported them somewhere deserted to prevent collateral damage. Ignoring his earlier exhaustion, Dante didn’t pay much attention to his new surroundings as he lunged at Vergil with claws outstretched, tail swinging in counterbalance with his wings. He roared, “You’re not going to Hell!”

“Why not?” Vergil rumbled in a deep demonic voice as he dodged his swipe, his wings beating once to take him out of Dante’s reach. As a result of their merging, the absorption of Sparda sword and the Qliphoth fruit, both their Devil forms had evolved to include more wings, tails and a more draconic appearance. All these changes were lost on Dante in his desperate fury, his earlier exhaustion forgotten.

“I don’t want to _lose_ you!” He snarled, “_Never_ again.” He lunged again, trying to grab Vergil. Vergil dodged once more, his movements flowing like water. As he dodged, he hamstrung Dante with a powerful swipe of his wickedly sharp tail. Buckling, Dante hit the ground hard, his lava hot blood sizzling on the ground. His earlier exhaustion came roaring back with a vengeance, forcing him to shift back into his human form. He remained hunched on the ground, his legs slowly healing.

“...Foolish. You do know that there’s no other choice, right? One of us must go to Hell to take the throne and stop the demons from attacking the human world again. I am the better candidate.” Vergil stated in a measured voice as he dropped his Devil form. Standing over him, his face was a perfect poker face as he continued, “You deserve to live a happy life here in the human world.”

How fucking _stupid_ could Vergil be?! Had he forgotten or was not aware of how miserable Dante had been while Vergil was trapped as a sword during the past two decades? Although his legs hadn’t quite fully healed yet, Dante pushed himself upright to get right into Vergil’s face, gritting his teeth against the agony. He growled, “If you really think I could be happy without you, you’re fucking goddamn _idiot_. If you go to Hell, then I’m coming along as well!”

Vergil’s eyes widened then narrowed. Clenching his fists and bolstered by the memory of their time merged together as a Devil Arm, Dante pressed on, not giving him a chance to speak, “I’ve asked myself constantly if I should have just jumped in after you when you fell from Temenigru. Then when I fought you on Mallet Island without knowing who you were under the helmet, I’d thought I’d killed you. But...you became a Devil Arm instead. I was so...thankful even if I wasn’t sure if there was any way for you to change back. You were _back_.”

Vergil opened his mouth to speak but Dante cut him off, breathlessly continuing, “And then, while we were fighting Mundus, I was...I was _terrified_ that I’d lost you again when he trapped and changed you into Nelo Angelo. If you still remember the time we were joined together, you already _know_ this.”

Vergil was silent. Dante swallowed hard. He had finally said his true feelings and thoughts that had been suppressed all these years. It was both scary and liberating. The only thing that kept him from bolting was the fear that if he took his eyes off Vergil, Vergil would _disappear_ again. He waited with bated breath, wondering how the other would respond. 

“...Yes, I know. So you do remember.” Vergil finally whispered. Dante blinked, wait what? Vergil ruefully laughed, “I’d thought that since you didn’t remember, it was better to stay quiet and just let it be… I was content to be by your side until the recent invasion forced my hand. But now...things have changed.”

Dante took a shaky breath. What was Vergil trying to say? He waited with wide eyes. Vergil combed back a few stray strands of hair in an uncharacteristically nervous gesture. He continued, “I am...grateful that you cared for me while I was lost. Even if I were to never break free of my Devil Arm form, I was...okay with that as long as you kept me by your side. While I did not enjoy the boredom of being stuck in the shop while you were away, it was far better than being trapped as Mundus’ slave. And...you already _know_ why I took Mundus’ attack in that battle.” 

“...Yeah.” Dante quietly said. He did remember that very well and knew what Vergil’s thoughts were. He awkwardly coughed as he stepped closer to Vergil, “So huh. Now we’re both on the same page...I’ll say this first. _Sei la mia polpetta._”

Vergil laughed, “Never change. _Tu mi completi._”

Their first kiss was awkward and resulted in bruised noses and foreheads. But he wouldn’t have it any other way.

  
Blue

Vergil woke up early as usual. He absently noted that it was cooler than usual this morning with a faint scent of rain in the air. A quick glance out of the window showed that it was raining heavily. Hmm. Perhaps there wouldn’t be any customers visiting Dante’s shop today. Not in this heavy rain.

Ever since they defeated Mundus and their subsequent successful separation thanks to the Qliphoth fruit, he now lived with Dante in Devil May Cry. It wasn’t too different from when he was stuck as a Devil Arm, only now he could move and speak again. However...Dante was guarded in his presence, unlike before where he would ramble about whatever was on his mind to Vergil in his Devil Arm form. Vergil didn’t blame him; it was quite different interacting with a person than with an object. While he didn’t miss being stuck as a sword, he missed those conversations.

Vergil got out of bed to get dressed. Then he made his way to Dante’s bedroom to shake him awake. As children, Dante had always been a heavy sleeper and that still hadn’t changed even now. As expected, his brother was still fast asleep, blankets half falling off the bed with some pillows scattered on the floor. He’d always moved a lot in his sleep. Leaning over Dante, he called out, “Dante, wake up, it’s time to open shop.”

No response. Dante was still sound asleep. Vergil rolled his eyes. This was fast becoming a chore even though they only had been living together for a short while. So he put his hand on Dante’s bare shoulder and shook him, “Wake up!”

Again, no response. Instead, Dante shifted away from his hand, mumbling incoherently in his sleep. Vergil huffed in annoyance. He tried again. But the sleepyhead still remained fast asleep. Hold on...Was Dante smiling? Vergil couldn’t help but stare, wondering what his brother was dreaming about. It must be a good dream...or perhaps a happy memory?

Vergil swallowed. Changing his mind, he picked up the pillows from the floor and put them back on the bed. He then pulled the blankets back up over Dante and left Dante’s bedroom. He would man the desk for Dante till he woke. 

* * *

It was painfully dull manning the desk. As he predicted, no one came to the shop due to the heavy rain. To kill time, he was reading a book Nero had recommended. Thankfully, Nero had good taste. While the book wasn’t his favourite genre, it was an interesting read. As hours flew by, the heavy downpour gradually pittered pattered to a light drizzle. Dante still hadn’t woken. 

As Vergil finished a chapter in the book, he heard a loud yelp. Alarmed, he quickly put down the book and dashed upstairs as he called out, “What happened?”

Within seconds, he reached Dante’s bedroom and swiftly opened the door. Looking up at him from his bed, Dante sheepishly shrugged, “Nothing. Just wasn’t expecting the floor to be so cold.”

He stared at Dante with narrowed eyes, trying to see if there was anything wrong with Dante. He didn’t find anything. Relieved, he snorted in amusement, “False alarm then.”

“Yeah. So huh, you got something on today?” Dante questioned, shifting under his blankets. Wait what? Ah, he was probably wondering why he was so dressed up in the “morning”. Dante most likely thought it was still morning, especially with the quality of the lighting. 

Vergil rolled his eyes as he replied, “_Sleepyhead_, it’s already past noon. I was up manning the desk all morning while you slept.”

“...Oh.” Dante sounded sheepish. Then, his eyes widened, “Hey, why didn’t you wake me up then?!”

“I tried. Three times. But you were too deep asleep. You also seemed like you were having a good dream,” Vergil patiently replied. He inclined his head at the bed, “So after the failed third attempt, I decided to let you sleep till you finally woke up.” 

He carefully omitted that he had pulled up the blankets for Dante and put the pillows back on the bed for him. That might not go over well with Dante. Dante grumbled and rubbed his head, “Hell, you should still have woken me up anyway! You shouldn’t have to do my job!” 

When Dante threw off the blankets and hopped off the bed to get dressed, Vergil wasn’t surprised to see that he wore only boxers. But he did choke a little when he realised that those boxers were nearly _see-through_ due to how threadbare they were. He could almost see Dante’s ass through the thin cloth. Dante’s cursing and complaining about the icy floor thankfully distracted him. 

“Maybe you should consider getting some carpets.” Vergil dryly commented as he leaned against the doorway. Okay...no he spoke too soon. Dante had bent over to yank on a pair of jeans, those translucent boxers pulling tight across his ass. _Fuck._ He dug his nails into his arms. As Dante pulled on a shirt, he shook his head, “Nah. I don’t spend a lot of time here contrary to what you might think. Besides, laundry bills would be killer with carpets.”

“Fair. Then, bedroom slippers?” Vergil suggested, struggling to keep his face and voice neutral. Dante grabbed his coat and laughed, “Fluffy bedroom slippers? Maybe! But they totally don’t go with my badass image.”

“...You’ve never cared about whether or not it makes you look _ridiculous_. That coat you wore as a teen was horrific.” To be honest, Vergil was just thankful that Dante had outgrown it. He didn’t think he could control himself if Dante still continued wearing those _kind_ of clothes. 

“Terrific, you mean!” Dante pulled on the coat and jabbed at him, “Besides, that _cravat? _Never letting you live it down!”

Brief embarrassed silence. He’d forgotten about that. Terrible. He conceded with a rueful smile, “Touchè.” 

Dante fist-pumped with a grin. 

* * *

The mission earlier this afternoon had been messy. Despite his best efforts to keep Yamato clean during the mission, his sword still wound up covered in stubborn bloodstains and mud. This called for an urgent cleaning and maintenance session. Using a fine-grain sandpaper sheet, he carefully scrubbed at a stubborn bloodstain on Yamato’s flat. Luckily, it wasn’t so bad that it required lacquer thinner to remove any gunk. Come to think of it...Dante was quite well stocked with materials that were used for cleaning swords. Of course, he intimately knew those materials; they had been used on him when he was a Devil Arm. 

The sensation of being watched prickled his skin. Dante was staring. Again. Amused that Dante thought he wouldn’t notice with his flimsy pretense of reading the magazine which he hadn’t flipped for at least five minutes, he confronted him, “I know you’re staring. What is it?” 

As he waited for Dante’s reply, he switched the sandpaper out for a soft cloth and carefully ran the soft material down the blade, picking up the last traces of dirt. He heard the magazine rustle as it was closed and put down on the desk. Dante finally replied, “Nothing really. Just thinking that it’s been a while since Mundus bit the dust and it’s starting to get real quiet now that most of the demons that invaded are getting killed off… Not much work left for us, you know...?”

Dante paused. Vergil looked up, interested to hear what else he had to say. Seeing that he had his attention, Dante continued, “You know, Mom’s amulets were used to turn Force Edge into Sparda sword. That sword and the amulets are now part of us. Ironic.”

...Why was he telling him this? He already knew this because Dante had shared that knowledge with him before when they were merged together. Unless...he didn’t remember.

Vergil paused in his cleaning. Dante had picked up the magazine again and was flipping through it with nary a care. It didn’t sit well with him. He needed to confirm that Dante truly did not remember. Speeding up in his current task, he swiftly gave Yamato an oiled rub down as he spoke, “...You already shared that knowledge with me.” 

Finally done, he resheathed Yamato and put it down on the coffee table. He gave Dante an intense searching look, his jaw clenched. Should he ask him if he remembered? The experience of being merged as one, their thoughts and memories seamlessly shared. It had been eye-opening and humbling. For one, he had not known that Dante had been amnesiac when they met before the tower. In his rash temper, he’d thought that he had been making a fool of him and did not react well. Likewise, Dante hadn’t known of Vergil’s motivations and dismissed him in a fit of pique. What fools they had been… 

Then of course, the irreplaceable feeling of being whole, stronger together than apart. The sensation of being incomplete was intensely uncomfortable to say the least whenever Vergil was reminded of it. Did Dante feel it too? Likely not. 

In the end, he looked away and changed the topic, “You ought to stop being so charitable. You’re running a business and you need that cash to maintain a respectable standard of living. Such as having a water supply, heating and electricity. Not to mention your pizza habit.”

“...Hey!” Dante immediately protested. “The others need the money more than me.”

Raising a sardonic brow, Vergil scoffed, “You’re undervaluing yourself and the work you do. To be frank...they’re only leeching off your generosity. You do realise that they could afford it?”

Dante shrugged, “Like I said...they need the cash more than we do.” 

Irritated, Vergil narrowed his eyes and growled, “Always like this with you. You’re far too selfless for your own good. I still remember...how you almost bankrupted yourself with that sword stand for me when I was stuck as a Devil Arm. You should look after yourself more.”

It was just one example of Dante’s selflessness. There had been others who benefitted but unlike Vergil who had been grateful, they selfishly exploited Dante’s kindness without any shred of gratitude. It sickened and infuriated him to no end. This had to _stop _now. 

Dante flushed. Okay, maybe he was going too far. Vergil gentled his tone with a faint smile, “I appreciated it. But you didn’t have to do that for me. I do not need such luxurious accessories when it’s at your expense.”

Dante raised the magazine higher to hide his face as he mumbled, “Okay. Gotcha.”

“So, will you start charging _proper_ fees?” Vergil demanded firmly. Was Dante just giving lip service or not?

“...Yeah, I’ll start charging properly. Satisfied now?” Dante relented, sounding a little waspish. 

Good. Hopefully with more income as he deserved, Dante could start looking after himself better. With an approving nod, Vergil said, “Good. I won’t tell you how to run the rest of your business but I absolutely insist on you getting paid what you deserve for all the hard work you’ve done. It’s only fair.”

“...And what about you? What are you going to do? You can’t possibly help me run Devil May Cry right? You’ve got your...own thing…” Dante asked, lowering the magazine. 

_Why was Dante asking him that? Did he not want him to stay…? _

Vergil stiffened. He threw Dante another searching look but failed to glean what he was thinking. A bitter taste in his mouth, he eventually replied, “I haven’t decided yet. I will let you know when I’ve decided.”

“Okay…?” Dante hesitantly said, his brows knitting into a frown. Vergil clenched his fist.

Then the phone rang. 

* * *

He should have predicted this. With Mundus’ ignominious passing, the demon lords of Hell were now trying to make a bid to invade the human world to prove their claim to be the next King of Hell. The fact that the barrier between both worlds had been severely weakened by the Qliphoth which parasitic roots had pierced deep in both worlds, only made it worse.

From dusk to dawn, both Vergil and Dante, together with Nero, Lady and Trish, fought waves of demon rabble and killed many demon lords. By his last count, they had killed at least twenty demon lords. This wasn’t even half of all the demon lords in hell with seventy-two in total. Irritatingly, the dead lords were quickly replaced by their successors, slowing down their progress.

At last, when the sun rose, the demons stopped trying to invade when the demon lords called a retreat, wary of the devil hunters that had killed so many of their brethren. Back in the shop, it was all Vergil could do to stay awake as he slouched over the desk, propping up folded hands against his forehead. In his peripheral view, Dante was slumped over the couch. 

“This is only temporary. They will come back again for another attempt to conquer the human world in a bid to become new King of Hell,” Trish said as she sat on the coffee table, her blonde hair ruffled with flyaway strands. Thanks to his memories as Nelo Angleo, Vergil wasn’t surprised by her resemblance to Dante’s and his mother Eva. Lady leaned against her, stifling a yawn. 

Laid flat out on the floor on his back, Nero raised his head and groaned, “Another _attack_? When? I’m not sure if we could handle another one.”

“Could be days or weeks, depending on how quickly those demon lords recover their numbers. We managed to wipe out a good chunk of their army but demons tend to spawn quickly.” Trish replied as she smoothed her hair down. Nero covered his eyes with his forearm and groaned. Vergil sympathised. It had been a gruelling all-day battle. The only time that had been worse was when he’d fought Mundus the first time in Hell.

Dante tiredly spoke, “So how do we make sure that they don’t come back? The barrier needs to be fixed.”

Trish shook her head, “Indeed, the barrier needs to be repaired but I’m not sure how...Lady, any ideas?”

“Naw, my books only deal with demonology. Nothing about barriers. But say, wouldn’t _he _know something? Since he once broke the barrier before.” Lady pointedly said as she looked at him sitting at the desk. He slowly raised his head. Still acerbic as ever, Mary. 

But there was no point in fighting with a crisis on the horizon. Staying calm, Vergil straightened up in the chair as he replied, “Perhaps. But it only pertains to that one particular barrier that was linked to Sparda’s Force Edge.” 

Turning his attention to Trish, he asked her to confirm his suspicions, “Trish. The reason why these demon lords are attacking…is because they’re vying for the throne. Correct?”

Trish nodded once. Okay. The next question then. He asked, “Then how does one become King of Hell? How did Mundus become King of Hell? You were his servant once.”

“_Bastard…_!” Lady hissed, ready to shoot him. Trish chuckled and nudged Lady to calm her down. She replied levelly, “Might makes right. Mundus ate the Qliphoth fruit to gain unparalleled power to become King of Hell. But since the Qliphoth fruit only grows once every few thousand years, the demon lords have no other choice but to fight it out the old fashioned way.”

_Thought so... So is there no other way but this…?_

Nero uncovered his eyes, “Wait, that ugly _fruit_…? The one I used on Dante and Vergil to split them apart is that _powerful_?”

“Yes. Imagine, if you had eaten it, you would have become King of Hell!” Trish teased Nero, making him blanche at the thought. Lady giggled. Vergil didn’t laugh. He waited for them to finish giggling. Sparing Dante a quick glance, he saw him getting up from the couch. With grim determination, he said, “Then it means that either Dante or I have to go to Hell, close the barrier and take the throne to prevent further attacks…”

_I have to do this. This is the only way._

He inclined his head. He ruefully smiled, “As I was formerly Mundus’ general, have eaten the Qliphoth, and more knowledgeable on Hell, I am a better candidate. Dante...has a life here and I do not want to disrupt that.”

Dante erupted. Quickly moving out of the way, Lady, Trish and Nero fled the shop, instinct telling them not to stay too close to two demon princes of Hell. 

* * *

In order to prevent collateral damage to Dante’s shop, Vergil teleported them somewhere deserted. Barely moments after they arrived, the transformed Dante lunged at him with claws, wings and tail as he roared, “You’re not going to Hell!”

Similarly transformed, he dodged Dante’s attack with a strong beat of his wings that took him out of his reach. As a result of their merging, the absorption of Sparda sword and the Qliphoth fruit, both their Devil forms had evolved to include more wings, tails and a more draconic appearance. He rumbled in a deep demonic voice, “Why not?” 

“I don’t want to _lose_ you!” Dante snarled, “_Never_ again.” He lunged again, trying to grab Vergil. _Enough_. He had to stop the fight from getting out of control. He dodged once more, his movements flowing like water. As he dodged, he hamstrung Dante with a powerful swipe of his wickedly sharp tail. Buckling, Dante hit the ground hard, his lava hot blood sizzling on the ground. Temporarily immobilised, he remained hunched on the ground, his legs slowly healing.

“...Foolish. You do know that there’s no other choice, right? One of us must go to Hell to take the throne and stop the demons from attacking the human world again. I am the better candidate.” Vergil stated in a measured voice as he dropped his Devil form. Standing over Dante, he maintained a poker face as he continued, “You deserve to live a happy life here in the human world.”

If Dante didn’t want him to stay, then there was no point in staying here in the human world. Besides, this was for a good cause this time…Like their father before them, he would guard the human world by ensuring the barrier’s sanctity. Unlike Dante who already had connections here, Vergil had none, his apparent son Nero not withstanding, and so was free to leave if he so chose. 

But his foolish brother refused to stay down despite his injury. Dante pushed himself to his feet and growled, “If you really think I could be happy without you, you’re fucking goddamn _idiot_. If you go to Hell, then I’m coming along as well!”

Vergil’s eyes widened then narrowed. No, he could not let that _happen_! Dante pressed on, not giving him a chance to speak, “I’ve asked myself constantly if I should have just jumped in after you when you fell from Temenigru. Then when I fought you on Mallet Island without knowing who you were under the helmet, I’d thought I’d killed you. But...you became a Devil Arm instead. I was so...thankful even if I wasn’t sure if there was any way for you to change back. You were _back_.”

._..What?_

Before Vergil could speak, Dante cut him off, breathlessly continuing, “And then, while we were fighting Mundus, I was...I was _terrified_ that I’d lost you again when he trapped and changed you into Nelo Angelo. If you still remember the time we were joined together, you already _know_ this.”

Oh. He had been gotten it wrong all along. Dante did remember after all. He had never been so glad to be mistaken in his entire life. As he stayed silent, he searched for the right words to say. When he was finally ready to speak, his heart was racing. He whispered, “...Yes, I know. So you do remember.” 

Dante blinked. Relieved and rueful, Vergil laughed, “I’d thought that since you didn’t remember, it was better to stay quiet and just let it be… I was content to be by your side until the recent invasion forced my hand. But now...things have changed.”

Dante’s eyes grew wide. Okay. Final stretch. Vergil nervously combed back a few stray strands of his hair. He continued, “I am...grateful that you cared for me while I was lost. Even if I were to never break free of my Devil Arm form, I was...okay with that as long as you kept me by your side. While I did not enjoy the boredom of being stuck in the shop while you were away, it was far better than being trapped as Mundus’ slave. And...you already _know_ why I took Mundus’ attack in that battle.” 

It was as though a huge weight was finally off his shoulders. Now, the ball was in Dante’s court.

“...Yeah.” Dante quietly said. He awkwardly coughed as he stepped closer to Vergil, “So huh. Now we’re both on the same page...I’ll say this first. _Sei la mia polpetta._”

Amused and glad, Vergil laughed, “Never change. _Tu mi completi._”

Their first kiss was awkward and resulted in bruised noses and foreheads. Nevertheless, he thought it was perfect.

Red


End file.
